NZ WOOD Our Endlessly Renewable Environmentally Friendly Resource Cross curricular activities and investigations brought to you by www.woodcareers.co.nz www.nzwood.co.nz Session Index Curriculum Areas .................................................................................................................1 Wonderful Wood – How We Use It ......................................................................................2 Forests – NZ’s Special Resource........................................................................................3 Forestry And Climate Change.............................................................................................4 Soil And Water Conservation..............................................................................................5 Natural Habitat And Recreation ..........................................................................................6 Forestry And Wood Facts To Share ...................................................................................7 Concluding Activities...........................................................................................................8 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Curriculum Areas Science Living World, Planet Earth and Beyond How living things interact with their environment and the human effects on our environment, and understanding how planting forests can help combat climate change. Learning about the interdependence of our subsystems of land, water, air and life. Discovering the diversity of species that our forests support and encourage. Social Sciences Place and Environment, Economic World Using forests and wood as a context, students will learn how people interact with places and the environment. Further Links to The Arts, English, Technology. Best suited to curriculum levels 2-4+ © FITEC Learning how people participate in economic activities and the importance of the wood industry to New Zealand’s economic health and the jobs it provides for people. Issue 1.June 2009 1 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Wonderful Wood – How We Use It Students complete a 5 minute brainstorm of a list of items we use in our everyday lives, made wholly or partly from wood. Groups list all items including fittings and furniture that make up their classroom, e.g. apparatus, walls, ceilings, books, paper, art materials and equipment … Groups prepare a table listing all materials used in each item, e.g. Classroom Item Materials Used Desk Computer Walls wood, metal, screws, rubber plastic, glass, screen, metal wood, paper, plaster, nails Groups present tables to the class and must include a summary sheet that gives the following totals - total number of items total that includes wood products 50% or more of wood less than 50% wood % of items that include 50% or more of wood % of items that contain some wood products ratio of items containing 50% or more to less than 50% Subtract all items that include some wood products. What is left? Assign each student a room(s) of their own house to inspect for products and fittings, walls, ceilings etc made with some/ all wood or wood products. Have each student inspect the outside of their house for wood materials including cladding. Students report back. What % of houses are mainly wood? What parts of their houses and rooms are mainly wood? What parts of their houses include some wood? Use the importance of wood as a topic for class discussion. Have each student/group write and present a paragraph on the importance of wood in everyday life. © FITEC Issue 1.June 2009 2 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Forests – NZ’s Special Resource What is a forest? Can students define it? Did they know that about 30% of New Zealand is covered in forests? Introduce the idea that we have two types of forests – indigenous and plantation forests. What does the dictionary or Google say is the difference between the two? Challenge groups to list as many names of trees that they know that fit into each category, e.g. exotic (Plantation): pinus radiata, blue gum. Indigenous: rata, kauri. Combine group results in table form. Where is the closest forest to the school? How many students have visited a forest? Where was it and what was the purpose of their visit? Pose the question ‘Why are trees and forests very important and what benefits do they provide?’ List responses, e.g. they - are a source of wood for building and many other uses - provide a pleasant recreational environment for people - provide homes for birds, animals and insects - absorb greenhouse gases… © FITEC Issue 1.June 2009 3 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Forestry And Climate Change Print out the Climate Change section at: www.nzwood.co.nz > select Sustainability > select Climate Change. Through discussion, work through the following ideas – - What is generally recognised as the cause of global warming - The causes of increased CO2 in our atmosphere - Ensure students understand that throughout history, climate has always changed - Identify the fears we have of global warming caused by CO2 emissions into our atmosphere Develop the idea that planting of more forests is one of the best ways of fighting global warming because trees absorb and lock in CO2 from the atmosphere. Carbon dioxide also stays trapped in the wood we use. Canvas students’ opinions about cutting down mature pine (pinus radiata) trees and replanting the forests? Did students know that new trees absorb far more CO2 than old trees? Point out also, that by cutting down our mature exotic trees from our pinus radiata plantations and planting new forests of pines helps absorb more CO2 from the atmosphere. Have students conduct group / individual research on forests as carbon sinks at: www.insights.co.nz > Wood and Climate Change > Wood to the Rescue. Summarize and report findings © FITEC Issue 1.June 2009 4 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Soil And Water Conservation Introduce the concept of soil erosion. What is the students’ understanding of soil erosion? What is it, what causes it and how does it occur? Are there any areas in the local district that have been affected by soil erosion? Have any students seen soil erosion – especially on our hills when they have been flying in a plane or driving in car? Before web research begins, have students make suggestions on ways that we can help prevent it or repair it. Have students find answers to the following at: www.insights.co.nz > select Essential Facts > select Soil and Water Conservation. - why the potential for erosion is high in New Zealand? - why have some areas been retired from agriculture? - where in New Zealand can we see striking examples of eroded hill country? - what happens to such country when trees are planted? - what jobs to trees do to protect the soil? - what happens to the water when it flows through the roots and vegetable litter on the forest floor? - how do trees help prevent flash floods causing erosion? Extra for Experts © FITEC Find out more detailed information at: www.insights.co.nz > select The Forest Habitat > select Soil Conservation and Water Conservation. Use for shared reading or projects. Issue 1.June 2009 5 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Natural Habitat And Recreation Have students consider the forest as an ecosystem. Speculate on birds, insects and animals that live in the forest. Revise the concept of a food chain. Can they outline a possible food chain up to four (trophic) levels? Before groups investigate food chains in exotic forests, ensure students understand the concept of: a producer, first, second, and third level consumers, e.g. forest tree bark, insect, fantail, stoat Have groups investigate food chains of the exotic forests at: www.insights.co.nz > The Forest Habitat > Forest Ecology. Tell students that to ensure there is always a place for these creatures, only a small section of the forest is cut down at one time and there is always a forest close by for refuge. Students should visit the Creatures section and listen to the calls of the large numbers of forest birds. Tell students that because of the variety of birds, many people use the forests for bird watching as a recreational pursuit. Have students think of and list other recreational activities that people can enjoy in forests, e.g. - sight seeing hunting mountain biking running - walking car rally off road driving tranquillity Discuss the importance of forests for NZ and visiting tourists. © FITEC Issue 1.June 2009 6 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Forestry And Wood Facts To Share Did students know that the wood industry is the second biggest exporter in New Zealand (behind only dairy) and earns about $3 billion for New Zealand each year. To explain the importance of the forestry and wood industry, tell students that it provides over 22,000 jobs for New Zealanders – that is people who look after and work in the forests and process the wood to export it overseas. Have students visit: www.marketnewzealand.com/MNZ/aboutNZ/sectors/14373.aspx to find out the products we export overseas. Tell students that it is estimated that over 100,000 people also have jobs that are related to the forestry and wood industry. Challenge students to mind-map these jobs in graphic or table form. These could include: builders & architects, railway workers, furniture makers, timber merchants and building supply stores, paper manufacturers, newspaper workers … © FITEC Issue 1.June 2009 7 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Concluding Activities Have students/groups complete several of the following: www.teara.govt.nz/TheSettledLandscape/TreesAndGardens/ RadiataPine/3/en to research and present findings: - the exotic forest cycle from site preparation to harvesting the tasks carried out to manage the forests types of logs and their uses where forests are planted and soil improvement measures what risks do forests face and protective measures taken? Focus on jobs. Have students research the jobs and careers that are available in the wood and forestry industry at: www.woodcareers.co.nz > Students and Job Seekers > Career and Career Paths Have students select several jobs that they find interesting. Invite people from some of these industry branches to talk to the class about the special skills these jobs require, the qualifications necessary and the satisfaction they get from their jobs. www.woodcareers.co.nz can assist. Have each student choose the industry career that appeals to them the most and write a newspaper advertisement / article, design a poster or web page or web banner promoting careers in their chosen career. Invite a local exotic plantation owner or manager to talk to the class about caring/maintaining their plantation. Invite a wood industry representative to talk to the class about the many uses of pinus radiata and the different wood products used. Summarise findings for a report. Have all students contribute interest-based illustrated reports on any aspect of the wood and forestry industry for a class display entitled ‘It’s far more than just chopping down trees’. © FITEC Issue 1.June 2009 8 Our endlessly renewable environmentally friendly resource NZ Wood Copyright FITEC holds the copyright for this publication. All rights reserved. FITEC (Forest Industries Training and Education Council) is the owner of the copyright of this publication. Other than as permitted by the Copyright Act 1994, no part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any other form or by any other means, without the prior written permission of FITEC. Disclaimer All information is correct as at the time of printing. FITEC reserves the right to make any changes to the information contained in this publication as it may deem desirable or necessary, without prior notice. Additional Copies Copies of all FITEC resources are available from: FITEC PO Box 137067 Parnell, Auckland New Zealand Web Site: www.fitec.org.nz 0800 119911 Feedback Feedback on the content of this document can be sent to the Wood Careers Team at the above address, faxed on 09 356 8025 or emailed to woodcareers@fitec.org.nz © FITEC Issue 1.June 2009 9
